Today, Deputy Secretary of Defense John Hamre announced that he will
step down from his position at the end of March. I want to express my
deep gratitude to John for his outstanding service to America.

Since becoming the Deputy Secretary in July 1997, John Hamre has been a
respected, decisive and forward-leaning leader. He directed
implementation of the 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review and the Defense
Reform Initiative. He put in place a wide range of innovative defense
management initiatives, and worked tirelessly on reforms of defense
contracting. His impact in these areas will be felt long after his
departure.

Dr. Hamre also was a pivotal advisor as we ensured that the readiness
challenges of our Armed Services are addressed with necessary resources.
He was a driving force behind the increase in the defense budget, and
the increased benefits for military personnel that I signed into law
last year. He also led Department of Defense efforts to ensure that
their critical computer systems were not affected by Y2K problems.

Although I will miss his advice as Deputy Secretary, I am pleased that
the nation will continue to benefit from his vast knowledge and
experience in defense policy. I wish John Hamre all the best as he
moves on to become president and chief executive officer of the Center
for Strategic and International Studies.